


I'll be your haven

by inoue6



Category: X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Charles being protective and shit, Coping with new powers, Destruction, Eating Disorders, Hurt Charles, Loss of Control, M/M, Migrene, Post XMA, Post-X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Protective Erik, Worried Erik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 20:29:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7860043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inoue6/pseuds/inoue6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Apocalypse used Charles to deliver his message to the world his powers grew beyond control. When Battle of Cairo was over, Erik helps Charles to cope with his telepathy let loose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll be your haven

**Author's Note:**

> I've been writing this one for month and a half with brakes but finally managed to end it and I think it turned out briliantly! As always, I dedicate this fic for my lovely beta-reader, Cas. I love you, girl <3

After the battle of Cairo Charles's powers grew significantly. Even if the ancient mutant Apocalypse was Long gone, his effect on Charles lingered and his mind felt like a separate being. Once he connected with all the minds of the world, they never truly left him. Or he never truly left them. Either way, it was painful. The walls, he carefully build over the years crumbled under the weight of the world.  
Charles was laying on the plane motionless, involuntarily hearing everyone around him. He saw Scott's pain and grief like it was his own, Jean's concern over her friends and family, Hank's anguish, Moira's mourning over lost memories and feeling of betrayal, Kurt's worry over the future and Raven's worry about himself. However the most impact held Erik's thoughts. Uncontrollable sadness, rage and grief over the things he lost. Charles aslo sensed something deep down metalokinetic's mind, something the older man was protecting at all cost shrouded in immense concern for telepath's well-being. The loud voices of humans and mutants 11 000 kilometers under the plane were nearly unbearable. Charles shut his eyes and clutched his head, as if it was going to help. He found himself a bit at ease, not by the gesture but by a firm hands on his shoulders which belonged to Erik.

'Charles.' The older man said and thought simultaneously.

The weight of his thought was so heavy the telepath would have fallen if he wasn't already laying down. 

'No Eric, no, please. It hurts so much.' He pushed the thought back to his friend.

'Charles. Focus on my voice, focus on my mind.' Older man told him in his softest voice.

He wasn't feeling the soft, warm tide in his mind indicating that Charles was there but he knew the younger man was listening. Everyone on the plane was aware of the ubiquitous presence of Charles but it wasn't the normal feeling. The flow of thoughts, memories and emotions flooded younger man so hard he let out a quiet moan of pain.

'Charles, use me as a haven in the storm. Focus on my mind and my mind only. Please, my friend, I do not wish to see you in such pain.' Erik didn't plan to think the last sentence but that's how the mind works, you can't control what the telepath hears. 

Charles stirred and wearily turned his head in direction of the thoughts he heard the loudest. He unconsciously grabbed onto the mind that was pulling him in like a drowning man grabs a rope. He found himself sitting on marble stairs with Erik, playing portable chess while contemplating about the future of mutantkind and humanity alike. That was the memory which both men treasured. But it was more for Charles than happiness. It was his place between rage and serenity. On those stairs, with that man he found the balance and peace of mind. 

The rest of the flight passed more less peacefully. Erik was sitting with Charles's head on his lap, both men immersed in memories, with Erik keeping Charles's pain at bay. Nobody commented on the fact that metalokinetic was gently stroking his friend's head where his hair used to be, his hand hovering above the bloody wound on his temple, while the younger man's hand was squeezing tight the sleeve of the former. Nobody realny needed to.

After arriving back in the USA, Raven postponed the school opening for a few more months so Charles could have some time to adjust to his new powers and rebuild the walls. The more people around, the harder it would be for him to heal. So Erik and Hank made sure that only the necessary people stayed. Scott, Jean and Kurt stayed because they got nowhere to go, Raven, Erik and Hank to take care of Charles and the mansion.  
However Raven had her doubts about her place at the school. She knew that she didn't belong there and she decided that as soon as her brother was well enough she would leave. Few days have passed with Charles refusing to let anyone near him. No one knew it that was because it was painful for him or he was worried about hurting the surrounding minds. Erik knew Charles well and bet on the latter. 

'Charles...?' The older mutant gently knocked on the bedroom door. He heard a quiet shuffle, like someone moved but got no response.

'I know you're in there. Talk to me, please.' He insisted and knocked again.

He felt a sting of worry about his friend when he saw still full tray of food at his doorstep from the morning, even if it was already late afternoon.

'What do you want?' A weak voice replied from the other side of the door.

'I'm worried about you, my friend.' Erik's concern grew even larger after hearing telepath. 

'Yes, I feel it.' Charles said.

'Can we talk normally, not through the door?' Older man asked. 

The wooden door creaked loudly and Erik saw a pair of sky blue eyes piercing through his soul. The eyes he grew so fond of over the years. His face was pale, with large shadows under his eyes like he hadn't had a good night’s sleep in ages. He entered the room, noticing his friend was still in pajamas and a robe. 

'Will you come down with me?' He asked. 

Charles flinched in pain, grabbed the bridge of his nose and took several moments to reply. 

'I can hear them, you know. All those voices...so much pain.' Younger man whispered.

'Focus, Charles. Regain the control, it's your mind and you are it's master. You can block them. I know it's hard but please, try.' Erik said softly, placing his hands on Charles's shoulders. The slight tremors that shook telepaths' body lessened and he visibly calmed down. 

'Could...could you give me a minute?' He asked.

Metalokinetic nodded and exited the room. He heard a low hum of shower and after few minutes Charles emerged from his room in fresh clothes. Upon seeing the tray he quickly apologized for the inconvenience he made. 

‘That's so typical of you Charles.’ Erik thought. Telepath gave out an involuntary snort and Erik remembered the man beside him was reading his mind.

'Stop poking around.' The older man pushed the thought to his friend.

'It's not like I can control it right now, you know.' Charles pushed back the thought. 

Erik smiled and both men made their way downstairs. Hank was genuinely surprised when he saw Charles as if he didn't think Erik would succeed in talking with him, not to mention getting the man out of his room. Since then, Charles could be seen wandering the mansion, deep in his thoughts. Only time Erik saw his friend was at the breakfast and the few times they played chess together. Everything seemed to go back to normal. However Erik knew Charles too well and the man couldn't cover the flinches and pained expression behind the mask of courtesy and politeness, at least not from him. The incident that happened few days later confirmed his suspicions.

Charles was in particularly bad mood and his powers were taking it's toll on him heavily that day. Erik decided to take him for a walk so he could clear his mind, far from the ubiquitous voices in the mansion. They were talking casually about something unimportant when Erik saw a hawk fly high above them. It reminded him of Nina and he was immediately flooded with grief. He heard the rumble around them and the tree near them split in two. Charles clutched his head and cried out in pain. Erik quickly came around and knelt beside his friend.

'Stop thinking please! I can't take it anymore!' He begged.

Both men tried to calm down but with his memories loose, Erik couldn't contain his sorrow. Images of Nina and Magda were running through his head, bringing pain and suffering to him and his telepath friend. Charles shouted at the sudden outburst of emotions and passed out in his wheelchair while the remaining parts of the tree flew around. Erik contemplated for a moment about what happened and the fact that the whole friggin tree blew up and it wasn't his doing. 

He effortlessly picked up his unconscious friend and carried him into the house. Fortunately for Erik, they didn't meet anyone so neither of them would have to explain what happened. He took Charles to his room and gently placed him on his bed. The man was worryingly light, probably due to the fact that he wasn't eating very well for quite some time so he was a bit malnourished. They would have to have a little talk about that. 

Right now, Erik focused on making Charles comfortable and waited for his breathing to calm down, indicating the man was asleep. He himself was tired and fell asleep on the couch. It wasn't for another few hours that he was pulled out of his slumber by the feeling of sun shining through the deep water. The feeling was so familiar yet startling, for Erik hadn't felt it for so long. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Charles's eyes were shut but the man stirred and moaned quietly. His eyes fluttered as he tried to push himself into a sitting position. Erik immediately stood up and helped him. After making his friend comfortable, he decided to urge for some explanation.

'What the hell happened out there, Charles?' Metalokinetic asked. Charles still had a terrible headache but decided not to show it and spare Erik more concern. 

'Your memories and emotions flooded me. I felt your pain multiplied and lost control. I'm so sorry, my friend.' He apologized.

'There's nothing to apologize for.' He smiled softly. 

'You should rest.' He continued and with a heavy sigh he made his way to the door. 

'Please, stay.' Erik was startled when without any warning he heard Charles whisper in his head. 

'How can I hear you without feeling your presence?' He replied in his mind. 

'I don't know, I still have no control over my powers. But could you stay here, please? Your presence calms me down.' Charles didn't mean to project that last sentence but without his barriers he had problems with self-control. 

'Of course, my friend.' The older man replied and sat down beside the bed.

The next time Charles woke up it was two in the morning. He felt stoic calmness of Erik's mind even if he couldn't see the man in the darkness. He projected peace and serenity into his friend when he found residue sadness of lost things. He shifted in bed and before drifting to sleep he could swear the covers draped over his shivering shoulders by themselves.

None of them mentioned what happened to anyone, even they both dropped the subject. However Erik found himself a bit uneasy about the tree. He caught himself looking out of the window into the garden a few times, his gaze wandering over the splintered wood and residue od leaves. He found Charles and confronted him about it.

'I don't know what happened to that poor tree.' The younger man said, putting the book he was reading on his lap.

'It didn't blow up on it's own. And believe me, I had nothing to do with that.' Erik replied.

'I have a theory but I'm not sure. I think Apocalypse didn't only amplified my thelepathy. He probably woke up another dormant power-telekinesis. It would explain what happened to the tree.' Charles looked down like he was ashamed. 

'A new power?' Erik repeated sheepishly. That was quite the revelation.

'I...I can't control it at all. And when surrounding minds are particularly loud...' He made a long pause and sighed.

'I tend to lose control. That's why I'm avoiding people. So I wouldn't hurt them.' He confessed. For a moment there was uncomfortable silence between the two but then Erik spoke. 

'Let me help you. I don't know how but it's driving me crazy seeing you in such pain and being unable to do anything.' The older man looked into those sky-like blue eyes with compassion. 

They've been through so much shit together and nothing could weaken the bond they had. Charles helped Erik the first time they met and he would repay the kindness with support and love. The telepath just nodded and smiled a little in agreement. Charles knew that Erik just beeing there would be helpful, for his mind had a strong telepathic pull and it was so calm he could find a haven there, just like he did on their way home. The rest of the day passed without any problems. 

The next day Raven decided to leave. 

She felt like a stranger, uncomfortable around her friends. She needed a time to think and with Hank and Erik she couldn't focus on herself, her true self. Charles was getting better so it was time to go.

Meanwhile, the telepath was picking up a few distressed thoughts from his sister, but was too preoccupied with blocking her, harder than anyone else, because he promised her so long ago. He broke that promise, but he wouldn't allow that to happen again. He strolled through the gardens, trying to focus his overgrown powers on someone else. Of course he decided to hook himself up to Erik, he did offer it to him.  
'How are you feeling, Charles?' He heard his friends thought and Erik heard his, apparently.

'I'm well, my friend. Thank you for your concern.' Charles smiled. 

'Would you like to play few rounds of chess? I sense there is something on your mind.' Erik suggested, feeling the uneasiness his friend was emanating.

'Yes, I would like that very much.' With that sentence he made his way back to the manor. 

When he arrived at the study, the chess pieces were already arranged properly, just waiting for players. Erik sat at one end of the chessboard and looked up when Charles entered the room. The older man looked like he was about to say something but decided not to. However seeing telepath so weak and skinny he pursued the matter of his nourishment. 

'When was the last time you ate a proper meal, Charles?' The older man asked. 

'Sorry, it's just...I...' He didn't know what to answer. How could he tell his friend that the migraines he had made keeping anything in his stomach impossible? Erik would worry and he couldn't have that. But it was already too late as metalokinetic already had his suspicions. Charles decided to confide in Erik but not reveal the whole truth. 

'I'm not really in the mood for food lately.' Even if he omitted the essential details, he spoke the truth.

Erik just nodded, postponing the conversation for another time. Charles sat in his chair in front of the chess board and moved his pawn two spaces forward without using his hands. The shocked expression on Erik's face made him laugh.

'Yeah, I'm starting to control this thing a little.' He said l continued.

'I think Raven is planning something and I'm worried.' Regarding the distress he emanated earlier into Erik. 

'She's a grown up, free woman, whatever she's planning, she can handle it very well on her own.' Erik replied, reminiscing the days he spent with Mistique after Cuba.  
Charles caught few images of his friend's memories and smiled, sensing that she was indeed independent and capable of taking care of herself in Erik's eyes. That was enough for him for now. This time Charles was more engaged in the game and could focus what granted him the first victory since they resumed their habit two weeks ago.

Raven left that same evening.  
When telepath came down, he saw Hank and immediately felt something wasn't quite right.

'Charles...' He started, eyes filled with concern.

'She left.' Erik stated the obvious. 

He looked at Charles who had such blank expression it made him scared. With anger or sadness he could cope but Charles' empty face was scary. And his reaction was even scarier. He just turned around and headed back to his room. Erik wanted to follow but Hank's firm grip on his shoulder and a slight nod made him rethink it. Charles wanted to be alone so they both let him be.

He emerged from his room two days later, acting like nothing happened. He even smiled and laughed with Erik so metalokinetic didn't push the topic of Raven's departure. He knew well that if Charles wanted to talk about it, he would've.

And then everything went to shit. 

Erik knew that Charles still couldn't block out surrounding thoughs, but he thought that at least he strenghten his walls, seeing as the former was acting relatively normal. But one evening when they were going to play chess telepath didn't show up. Filled with slight concern, he made his way to Charles's study and upon seeing it empty, he made his way to his room. When he hadn't heard any answer after repeatedly knocking he turned around but heard something like quiet moan. Deciding to check that out he pushed the door open and saw something he never expected.  
Charles's bedroom was a complete mess with parts of destroyed furniture laying everywhere. In the center of the room under a small pile of rubble laid motionless Charles. 

'Charles!' He exclaimed and immediately the younger man replied in his head. 

'Don't...come near me. I'm dangerous and if he hurts her I'm afraid of what might happen.'

'What are you talking about?' Erik asked but kept his distance, just like Charles requested. 

'There's this girl Jessy, a 6-year-old telepath. Not only do I hear her but also feel everything she does. And now her abusive stepfather came back and tried to hurt her. I can't do anything from here but the fear is too much to bear.' Younger man explained, once again sensing the distress of mind he was conected to.

'Back off!' He suddenly shouted as splintered wood and furniture started flying around the room. 

Erik took few steps back and successfully dodged the door that was ripped from it’s hinges. The walls of Charles's room started to bend with loud creaking, like the room couldn't contain the telepath. 

'Charles! Stop!' Metalokinetic shouted but to no avail. 

' He found her...oh my god Erik, he's going to kill her!' Charles wasn't laying on the floor anymore. His weak and too skinny body was levitating few inches from the ground. 

'James, I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to;  
What do we have for dinner today?;  
You look lovely in that dress, c'm here you sexy thing;  
No, why always me? Why Joey can't walk the dog?;  
The capital of Peru was...oh my god how was it again? Right, Lima!' Charles lost the residue of control and started to say the shreds of thoughts his battered brain picked up from the few surrounding houses.

Meanwhile the little tornado of debris free larger and larger and started to rip through the ceiling. The shockwave of the blast threw Erik to the end of the corridor where Hank stood, alarmed by the noise and the shouting. 

'What's going on? Where's Charles?' The scientist asked and helped Erik to his feet.

'He's inside, it's his doing.' He answered and gestured in the direction where used to be professor's room.

' He said he was connected to some young mutant and someone hurt her. He completely lost control over his new powers. We need to stop him' Erik continued.

'Wait what? New powers?' Hank just stood there, shocked.

'Long story short, Apocalypse amplified Charles's telepathy and woke up dormant telekinesis.' There was no time for explaining the whole tree situation and their silent chess game.

As a reminder, a part of chest of drawers flew past Hank's ear and both men turned in direction of what used to be Charles's bedroom. Now there was only gigantic whole with telepath floating in the middle that was growing larger with every second. 

'No please, daddy...don't hurt me... I'll be a good girl, no please no, stop...' Charles wept the same words little Jessy was crying 100 miles away from the mansion while being beaten to death. The whole east wing was shaking, with Charles's loose telekinesis engulfing the neighbouring rooms.

'We have to do something!' Hank shouted, his voice muffled by the havoc around them. 

'Leave it to me.' Erik replied and with his powers created a small, impenetrable magnetic field.

He slowly flew in direction of telepath, feeling the flying wood angrily hitting his bareer. He was nearly beside Charles when enormous chunk of wood, looking suspiciously like a door hit his field so hard, it nearly knocked Erik unconscious. He fought with little dots that blackened his vision but managed to stay upright. When he reached the younger man, he grabbed his wrist and shouted, both mentally and physically.

'Charles! Come back! You've got to come back!' Surprisingly for both Erik and Hank that simple gesture, combined with weariness and the fact, that Jessy’s stepfather already silenced the girlmade Charles close his eyes and fall unconscious. Metalokinetic caught his friend in the last moment before he had fallen. With Charles in his arms everything was over. Before completely drifting into oblivion Charles caught one stray thought from Erik. 

'I'll be your haven.'

**Author's Note:**

> So that's it. I hope you liked it and if you did, I'd be so happy if you left comments :) If you didn't like it feel free to comment as well! I love hearing shoutout from you guys, you keep me going <3


End file.
